What does “thermal management” refer to in data centers?

Thermal management in data centers is crucial for ensuring the efficient operation of IT equipment. It specifically refers to the practices and systems in place that control the temperature and airflow within the data center environment. By managing temperature effectively, data centers can prevent overheating, which can lead to hardware failure and reduced performance.

Additionally, proper airflow management helps maintain consistent and optimal temperatures around equipment, ensuring that cooling systems operate efficiently. This is vital for enhancing the reliability and lifespan of servers and networking components, which are sensitive to environmental conditions.

While managing software installations, optimizing human resource allocation, and implementing power management protocols are important aspects of data center operations, they do not directly relate to the specific challenges of controlling temperature and airflow that are central to thermal management.